Lines current as of 3:45p mst on Wednesday December 31st, 2008 and from oddsmaker.com
--Baltimore (-3 1/2) @ Miami
Biggest spread, hardest came to call. I just don't buy Miami. I know they finished out 9 and 1 in their last 10 but they only really have one signature win and the only impressive one at that was in September, and that was the game the Ronnie Brown Wild-cat/hog/dolphin/whatever totally burned New England. Do you think they can spring that on Baltimore in January? Me neither. Baltimore had a win against Philly at home and a win at Miami. All 5 of their losses were to playoff teams (Steelers -twice, Colts, Titans, Giants), which doesn't seem that great either. The Raven defense is obviously stellar but can the unibrowed Blue Hen (Joe Flacco) win a playoff game on the road, this guy says yes, but take the points. Baltimore by 3.
--Indianapolis (-1 1/2) @ San Diego
8-8 in the {freaking} AFC West is not impressive. But San Diego just has that dangerous team feeling. Like LT and Phil Rivers could go off and score like 40,000 points and beat anyone. They won when they had to, and are actually two games (the last second Carolina loss and the Hochuli game) from being 10-6. If the defense holds up, they could actually win this game. Indy is hot, winners of 9 straight and Peyton looks more like Super Bowl Peyton than the never beat the Florida Gators Peyton. They are finding ways to win games, which is the greatest thing about sports. The thing about it is they have won in different ways, which means they can win regardless of how this game plays out. I was lying before, this is probably the hardest game to call. I will probably regret this but I'll take the Chargers at home.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
NFC Playoff Picks
Since I will not be posting anything for the next 4 days I have to make my playoff picks for the NFL today.
Lines current as of 2:00p mst on Wednesday December 31st, 2008 and from oddsmaker.com
NFC
--Falcons (-2 1/2) @ Arizona
Home teams should have the advantage, that is why they call it home field advantage, but the Cards just don't seem into it. Best case scenario - they were just bored with their division, knew they were going to make the playoffs regardless of what they did and just got lazy. Worst case scenario - they are as actually bad as they have looked and will get smoked. On the other side I really like Atlanta, save for the Denver at home they didn't really have any bad losses. They beat who they were supposed to beat and lost to a few games to good teams. There was only one lopsided loss (at Carolina). I think Michael Turner is a star. I think the Falcons cover on a big day from him.
--Philadelphia (-3) @ Minnesota
I want to say Minnesota because they haven't had a division crown in quite some time, nor a home field playoff game so the dome will be popping. Both teams are coming off huge wins and riding at least a little momentum into the playoffs, but both lost the week before so it's not like they are on huge winning streaks. I think the difference in the game is the play at quarterback I will take Donovan McNabb over Tarvaris Jackson. Unless Adrian Peterson goes nuts, like beyond his usual level of nuts, I like Philadelphia to cover.
Lines current as of 2:00p mst on Wednesday December 31st, 2008 and from oddsmaker.com
NFC
--Falcons (-2 1/2) @ Arizona
Home teams should have the advantage, that is why they call it home field advantage, but the Cards just don't seem into it. Best case scenario - they were just bored with their division, knew they were going to make the playoffs regardless of what they did and just got lazy. Worst case scenario - they are as actually bad as they have looked and will get smoked. On the other side I really like Atlanta, save for the Denver at home they didn't really have any bad losses. They beat who they were supposed to beat and lost to a few games to good teams. There was only one lopsided loss (at Carolina). I think Michael Turner is a star. I think the Falcons cover on a big day from him.
--Philadelphia (-3) @ Minnesota
I want to say Minnesota because they haven't had a division crown in quite some time, nor a home field playoff game so the dome will be popping. Both teams are coming off huge wins and riding at least a little momentum into the playoffs, but both lost the week before so it's not like they are on huge winning streaks. I think the difference in the game is the play at quarterback I will take Donovan McNabb over Tarvaris Jackson. Unless Adrian Peterson goes nuts, like beyond his usual level of nuts, I like Philadelphia to cover.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Mike Shanahan
Today the Denver Broncos fired Coach Mike Shanahan after 14 years and 2 Super Bowl victories. I am a Denver Broncos fan. I was shocked. This season was bad enough. The one signature win the Broncos had was because of not only a bad call, a flat out wrong call. Every time the Broncos started gaining momentum there was a huge let down (at Kanasas City, Oakland at home, Buffalo at home). That doesn't even take into the equation the only once precedented 3 game division lead collapse which culminated in a loss at San Diego on Sunday night in prime time. It wasn't even a loss, it was a blowout, a smack in the mouth. It was awful. People in Denver were just plain pissed off the next day. And then Shanahan happens. The coach that brought not only the organization 2 Super Bowls but the city 2 Super Bowls, he brought the entire Bronco nation 2 Super Bowls.
And even has bad as this season was there was a glimmer of hope. It was small and hard to see amongst all the shattered dreams of this season. The Broncos had up and coming superstars at wide receiver (Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal), a solid - if not really good - if not great young left tackle (Ryan Clady), and arguably one of the best young quarterbacks in the league in Jay Cutler (who by the way broke John Elway's record for passing yards in a season). If the Broncos get a defense, then who knows who could stop them.
And then today Shanahan . . . oh boy. Jay Cutler is unhappy with it. Yikes. Your up and coming superstar quarterback is unhappy with your decision. Not a good sign. But fear not Denver Broncos fans. Hope still remains.
Look, Shanahan is a good coach, he is probably even a great coach. He will be a good coach again at probably whatever job he wants, but his time in Denver was just up. The collapse just an excuse to speed up the inevitable. Shanahan was never going to stay there forever, and it's probably better for Cutler that he leave now while Cutler is still young and impressionable than in a few years when it would have rocked him even more. Of course Cutler will say something, who wouldn't? A boss you like gets canned and someone asks you about it? You're not going to be a little unhappy? You would be fine, you would get over it and go back to work. Cutler will too. He will be fine, he is a stud, he will be a star under any system, under any coach.
Think about it, Cutler is your quarterback, that alone can at least get you 8 wins (see 2008), if the defense is sured up and the offense doesn't go totally bonkers, you are at least at 8 wins for the next 5-7-9 years. That is a worst case scenario. If the offense stays at the same pace, which it should (if not even a more frenetic pace because of the rash of injuries to somewhere around everyone in the running game) and the defense is at least respectable that is 8-9-10 wins a season, at worst. That would be good enough to get playoffs most years. It would be good enough to win a few playoff games. It would be good enough to more-or-less contend every year. And if things go correctly, a Super Bowl victory or two, which would make everyone forget about Mike Shanahan anyway.
And even has bad as this season was there was a glimmer of hope. It was small and hard to see amongst all the shattered dreams of this season. The Broncos had up and coming superstars at wide receiver (Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal), a solid - if not really good - if not great young left tackle (Ryan Clady), and arguably one of the best young quarterbacks in the league in Jay Cutler (who by the way broke John Elway's record for passing yards in a season). If the Broncos get a defense, then who knows who could stop them.
And then today Shanahan . . . oh boy. Jay Cutler is unhappy with it. Yikes. Your up and coming superstar quarterback is unhappy with your decision. Not a good sign. But fear not Denver Broncos fans. Hope still remains.
Look, Shanahan is a good coach, he is probably even a great coach. He will be a good coach again at probably whatever job he wants, but his time in Denver was just up. The collapse just an excuse to speed up the inevitable. Shanahan was never going to stay there forever, and it's probably better for Cutler that he leave now while Cutler is still young and impressionable than in a few years when it would have rocked him even more. Of course Cutler will say something, who wouldn't? A boss you like gets canned and someone asks you about it? You're not going to be a little unhappy? You would be fine, you would get over it and go back to work. Cutler will too. He will be fine, he is a stud, he will be a star under any system, under any coach.
Think about it, Cutler is your quarterback, that alone can at least get you 8 wins (see 2008), if the defense is sured up and the offense doesn't go totally bonkers, you are at least at 8 wins for the next 5-7-9 years. That is a worst case scenario. If the offense stays at the same pace, which it should (if not even a more frenetic pace because of the rash of injuries to somewhere around everyone in the running game) and the defense is at least respectable that is 8-9-10 wins a season, at worst. That would be good enough to get playoffs most years. It would be good enough to win a few playoff games. It would be good enough to more-or-less contend every year. And if things go correctly, a Super Bowl victory or two, which would make everyone forget about Mike Shanahan anyway.
Thoughts
- It bothers me when there is a toilet and either a) the seat is too low or b) the water is too high and you have to worry about getting wet from toilet water, man that is awful.
- The CEO of Pacific Life scares me. If anyone watched the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl (Oklahoma State vs. Oregon) you saw him wish us a happy holiday and tell us he hope we like watching the game. He talked too softly and the way he was looking into the camera it looked like his eyes had slid back into his skull like 4 inches too far, it was awkward. I felt like he was trying to convince me to join a cult. Dear sir, you are talking to the entire country, not a deer, please talk like a human being.
- Said Holiday Bowl, however, is a really entertaining football game Even still, every time I see Mike Gundy I think of his tirade at the press conference.
- I really enjoy when Chris Fowler calls games, he is really professional, he seams to be good at his job, and he actually seems to have a good time doing it.
- Oregon won 42-31, by the way.
Sugar Bowl
On January 2nd, 2009 the Utah Utes will play the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, LA. I am (obviously) beyond excited. For those that don't know me, I am a Ute through and through. This will be a tough game, that is unquestionable, I do not know that the Utes will win but they certainly can.
Thoughts:
Andre Smith is out; this is huge. He could be a starter in the NFL right now, he is big and fast and strong and good. He apparently had improper dealings with an professional agent, I do not know what an improper dealing is, but it is improper enough to be dismissed from the team and (effectively) be his last hurrah at Alabama. The one game he missed this year was against Tulane {freaking Tulane} and Alabama had 172 yards {freaking 172} of total offense. Their season average was 367. You do the math. A pretty fast and talented defensive front coming at John Parker Wilson could cause Alabama problems.
Alabama is disappointed; they were one quarter away from the national championship game {one freaking quarter} They got smacked in the mouth by the Florida Gators, especially in the 4th quarter, where they got 6 yards of offense {freaking six}. Not exactly great momentum.
Both teams could be rusty; I don't care who you are, an over 20 day layoff will make any team any sport rusty.
Nick Saban; from what I know about Nick Saban (very little) personally he is kind of pompous kind of arrogant, calculated, annoying for media members, and plenty more more-or-less negative things, but he is talented at what he does. He is the highest paid coach in college football (he was even on the cover of Forbes) something he probably deserves and he can and will make a difference for the Tide.
Kyle Whittingham; also a really good coach. His team went 12-0, he is a good coach. That's it.
more to follow
Thoughts:
Andre Smith is out; this is huge. He could be a starter in the NFL right now, he is big and fast and strong and good. He apparently had improper dealings with an professional agent, I do not know what an improper dealing is, but it is improper enough to be dismissed from the team and (effectively) be his last hurrah at Alabama. The one game he missed this year was against Tulane {freaking Tulane} and Alabama had 172 yards {freaking 172} of total offense. Their season average was 367. You do the math. A pretty fast and talented defensive front coming at John Parker Wilson could cause Alabama problems.
Alabama is disappointed; they were one quarter away from the national championship game {one freaking quarter} They got smacked in the mouth by the Florida Gators, especially in the 4th quarter, where they got 6 yards of offense {freaking six}. Not exactly great momentum.
Both teams could be rusty; I don't care who you are, an over 20 day layoff will make any team any sport rusty.
Nick Saban; from what I know about Nick Saban (very little) personally he is kind of pompous kind of arrogant, calculated, annoying for media members, and plenty more more-or-less negative things, but he is talented at what he does. He is the highest paid coach in college football (he was even on the cover of Forbes) something he probably deserves and he can and will make a difference for the Tide.
Kyle Whittingham; also a really good coach. His team went 12-0, he is a good coach. That's it.
more to follow
First Post (Revisted)
So once again this blog will be attempted to be posted on by me. I am Christian, this is my blog. Impressive, I know.
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